The Hard Way *** (1943, Ida Lupino, Joan Leslie, Dennis Morgan, Jack Carson) – Classic Movie Review 10,213

Director Vincent Sherman’s attractive 1943 backstage yarn The Hard Way stars Ida Lupino as ambitious steel-town gal Helen Chernen, who boosts her younger sister Katherine (Joan Leslie) into marriage with music man Albert Runkel (Jack Carson) and on to Broadway stardom.

Helen just wants to get out of the dead-end town, but Runkel’s dance partner Paul Collins (Dennis Morgan) sees right through her.

There are fine performances by Lupino, Morgan and Carson, but, nice though she is, a very young Leslie doesn’t quite convince as the toast of Broadway.

The first half is the best – and it is first class – but then unfortunately the film begins to run out of credibility and steam, and ends with a whimper. This characterful backstage showbiz drama is enjoyable and entertaining, overall, though.

Sally Sweetland provides the singing voice of Joan Leslie (1925–2015). Leslie was only 17 when she made The Hard Way, but it is already her 23rd movie. However, her film career was over at the age of 31, leaving the profession to bring up her twin daughters. Demanding better roles, Leslie took Warner Bros to court, and then her contract was dropped. She freelanced after 1947 and finally acted in The Revolt of Mamie Stover (1956), though many TV appearances followed later.

Ida Lupino (1918–1995).

Lupino’s career also went down when she left Warner Bros in 1947 and went freelance.

Also in the cast are Faye Emerson, Paul Cavanagh, Gladys George, Roman Bohnen, Julie Bishop, Joan Woodbury, Murray Alper, Ann Doran, Edgar Dearing, Hank Mann, Frank Faylen, Nestor Paiva, Emory Parnell, Philip Van Zandt, Dolores Moran, Eddy Chandler, Jody Gilbert, Thurston Hall, Charles Judels, Bill Kennedy and Vera Lewis.

The Hard Way is written by Daniel Fuchs and Peter Viertel.

Joan Leslie died on 12 October 2015, aged 90.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,213

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